CHART FLASHBACK: The Complete Top 40 Hits of 1982

In 1982, 426 singles made Billboard's Hot 100.
How many of those made it to the Top 40?

Back at the end of May, HERC featured a unique new Top 40 countdown by Brandon, the YouTube user known as BillboardTopHits1980. That countdown, featuring the music of 1983, was actually the second one he'd produced. This is his initial countdown effort, featuring the songs of 1982.

For those of you still reading who haven't watched the video at the top of this post yet, Brandon asks the question: "Why 1982?"  His answer: He was five years old in 1982 and he enjoyed listening to the countdown shows on the radio. (HERC, too, enjoyed listening to Casey Kasem count down the hits each weekend although "It was the greatest year in music ever" would have been an acceptable answer as well, Brandon.)

What stood out for HERC as he watched these videos was the number of medleys that made the Top 40 in 1982: "Stars On 45 III: In Tribute To Stevie Wonder" (aka "Stars on Stevie"), "The Beatles Movie Medley", "Hooked On Classics", "Hooked On Swing" and Meco's "Pop Goes The Movies". MRS. HERC is a big fan of "Hooked On Classics" so, by osmosis, HERC is a fan as well. Actually, he generally digs medleys and the only one of the above not in The Hideaway's Audio Archives is the Meco one. It's on the wishlist.

So there you have it.  Was the Number One song what you thought it was going to be? Are you ready to hear most of the songs in their complete single, album or 12" versions? HERC's M!X below contains 91% of the 222 songs that were Top 40 Hits in 1982, a slightly better (by 3%) showing than the Top 40 Hits of 1983 playlist.

If you watch the very first video above on the YouTube site, Brandon confesses in the description that he left one song off his countdown. The missing track?

Mike Post's "Theme from Magnum, P.I."